Photo: 2016 Attalla Heritage Day attendees enjoy a train ride (Messenger file photo)
By Sarrah Peters/News Editor
The City of Attalla is hosting its annual Heritage Day Festival on Saturday, October 21 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in historic downtown Attalla.
The event will take place rain or shine. Admission is free.
Heritage Day has been held for 30 years and draws big crowds.
“It’s a little bit difficult to get an accurate count because we don’t have gate admission, but we usually estimate anywhere from about 17 to 20,000 people, if the weather cooperates,” said Lisa Spears, Heritage Day organizer.
Heritage Day is full of music of all types, such as big band, motown, zydeco, gospel and southern rock, and has three stages: the City of Attalla stage in front of the Attalla Post Office, the Variety stage at the water department intersection and the Buffalo Rock stage in front of Wells Fargo.
“There’s a little bit of everything on the stages,” said Spears.
On the City of Attalla stage, Starpower will perform from 9:15 to 10 a.m. The Kudzu Junkies will perform from 10:55 a.m. to 12 p.m. The Leah Seawright Band will perform from 12:45 to 2:15 p.m. Country Case will perform from 2:45 to 4:15 p.m. James Higgins Music will perform from 4:20 to 5 p.m.
On the Variety stage, Jeremy Noble and Whipping Post Band will perform from 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. Vintage Gray will perform from 10:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Michael Jacobs will perform from 1:15 to 2:15 p.m. Straight Shot will perform from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Corner Pocket will perform from 3:45 to 5 p.m.
On the Buffalo Rock stage Attalla Mayor Larry Means will welcome everyone to the event, followed by an opening prayer, the national anthem and a flag presentation from 8:50 to 9 a.m. From 9 to 9:20 a.m. the Etowah High School Band will perform. At 10 until 11 a.m., the Kings of Swing will take the stage. II Da Maxx, a motown band, will perform from 12 to 2 p.m. Curley Taylor and the Zydeco Trouble will perform last at 2:30 to 5 p.m.
Spears said that the zydeco group is a crowd favorite, often drawing visitors that follow the band and inspiring the crowd to start dancing.
“You have dancers,” said Spears. “They love to dance to the zydeco music.”
In addition to music, there will also be over 100 food and craft vendors.
Food vendors will carry all the favorite fair foods, including barbecue, hamburgers, chicken, Philly cheesesteaks, funnel cakes, fried oreos and a lot more. Craft vendors will sell t-shirts, jewelry, palette art, painted gourds and many fall and holiday items.
“There’s a very wide variety of craft Vendors,” said Spears.
There will be an open car show. Registration is $20.
Spears reminded attendees to check out the Attalla downtown shops during Heritage Day.
“Our antique stores downtown, all of our shops and everything downtown will be open that day, so we encourage everyone to go in and check out the antique stores,” said Spears. “They’ll have specials that day.”
Attalla Heritage Day has over 25 sponsors.
“I want to say a big thank you to all of our sponsors,” said Spears. “We couldn’t do it without them. This is about my 14th year to be involved, and we have some sponsors that have sponsored us for at least the 14 years that I’ve been working in it.”
Pets and personal golf carts are not allowed at Attalla Heritage Day.
For more information, call Lisa Spears at 256-538-9266.